Snapping mechanism for corn-harvesting machines.



W. S. BAIRD.

SNAPPING MECHANISM FOR CORN HARVESTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 118.27, 1909.

1 ,035,5 18. Patented Aug. 13,1912.

W MI] '4 UNITED STATES ra rnn r oiiuncn.f

WILLIAM SEWAIR'D IBAII tD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T BAIRD COP? YIUSKER CO., A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DLAKOTA.

SNAPIPING CHANISM FOR CORN-HARVES TTNG MACHINES.

Patented Au 13,1912.

Application filed February 27, 1909. Serial No. 480,418.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM SEWARD BAInp, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, lave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snapping Mechanism for Corn-Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to means adapted to form a part of a corn harvesting machine for automatically removing the cars from the stalks of the standing corn. I

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for removing the cars from the stalks wherein the pressure is so applied to the butt of the car as to avoid any apprcciable shelling of the kernels from the cob. To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and com- 20 bination of parts herein shown and de scribed and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts; Figure 1 is a plan view of that portion of a corn barvesting machine embodying my invention with the remainder of the machine removed to avoid confusion. Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of a port-ion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective 5 detail of the shaftand earns for operating a portion of my improved mechanism. Fig. (its an enlarged perspective detail of one of the snapping bars of my device.

In the preferred form shown in the drawings, l -1 is a portion of the frame of-a corn harvesting machine upon which the snapping rolls 22 are mounted .by means of suitable bearings 33 and l t at opposite ends respectively of the rolls. The bearings 3-3' at the lower ends of the rolls are preferably so formed that as the machine-ismoved along the rows the stalks will be directed into the space betwcen'the rolls where they may be engaged to remove the ears therefrom. Any suitable means may be provided to rotate .the rolls 2.- As shown suitable pinions 55 are provided at the upper end of each rolladapted to co operate ,to secure a uniform rate of rotation to the rolls, and a bevel, or miter gear 6 is provided upon the extended shaft at the upper or rear end of one of the rolls adapted to cooperate with a similar gear 7 upon a shaft 8 of the machine to drive. the rolls. The shaft 8 may be mounted upon the frame 11 in any suitable manner and may be rotatively connected in any convenient mannento suitable rotating part-s 'ofthe machine (not shown). This portion 'of'the mechanism is preferably formed and operated substantially as shown and des'ci'lbed in my patiint for a corn husking machine, No. 892,208, dated June 30th, 1908.

My present invention comprises mechanism adapted to cooperate with the snapping rolls above described and consists of a pair of bars 9-9 arranged directly above the.snapping rolls and adapted to engage the ears upon the stalks and assist in detaching the same so that the butt ofth'e ears will not come in contact'w'ith the rolls 22. The bars 9--9 are preferably .prsi tioned in a plane substantially parallel-t0 the rolls -22 directly above the same and in as close proximity to the upper face'of the rolls as is practicable. The space be-' tweenthe bars is preferably substantially the same as the spacebetwcen the rollers, so that the operating edge of each bar is in practically the same vertical inner edge of the roll with which it operplane as the ates, although this adjustment may be I changed to suit the varying conditions of to receive and support abar9 substantially" parallel to the common plane of the rolls and with a flange or web 13' extending from to receive and support .a bar 9 substantially.

right'angles thereto. The beam 12 is similarly formed except that the web let, is

preferably positioned approximately midway f-the face 14. upon which the bar 9.

rests, so that this beam is substantiallyTr, shaped.

the rolls 2 and extending substantially parallel thereto, and the webs 13 and 14 of the l 5 In the preferred construction shown, a pair of angular bars 10 -10 are rigidl secured to the frame one upon each sire of.

beams 11 and 12 are rigidly secured to the bars 10 respectively. If esired the proximate (dges of the parts 13 and let of the beams 11 and 12 may be beveled or tapered slightly from the under side as shown so as to permit the bars 9-9' to be brought into as close proximity to the tops of the rolls as possible. As shown the bars 99 are arranged to be reciprocated longitudinally and for this purpose a slot 17 is provided near each end of each bar. A pair of arms 15 are attached to the Web 13' of the beam 11 suitably formed to extend above the bar 9 mounted upon said beam and secure the same in position. A stud 1G or other suitable means is secured to each of the arms 15 extending into each slot 17 to control the movements of the bar 9. The opposite bar 9 is shown mount-ed upon the beam 12 in a very similar manner except that the arms 18 for securing the bar in position and carrying the studs or pins 19 for engaging the slots 17, are secured to the part of the face 1% of the beam 12 at the outer side of the web 1 L, suitable transverse slots are preferably provided in this portion of the beam 1.2 so that the lateral position of the bar 9 may be adjusted as desired. Any suitable means may be provided to reciprocate the bars 9'9. In the form shown a shaft 20 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 21-21 upon the frame 1 substantially parallel to the shaft 8. Sprocket wheels 22 and or equivalent means are mounted upon the shafts 8 and 20 respectively and connected by a chain 21 or other suitable means adapted to c perate therewith to transmit power from the shaft 8 to the shaft 20, a pair of cams or eccentrics are rigidly secured to the shaft 90, and a part 26 is rigidly attached to each bar 9 extending above and beyond the shaft 20. Suitable jaws or faces 27 and 28 are rigidly secured to each part 26. adapted to cooperate with the cams 25 respectively to control the movements of the bars 9. i

In the preferred construction the cams 25 are so positioned that the movements of the bars 9 will alternate, thatis, when one bar is moved downward the opposite bar will be moved upward, when thus operated it is.

obvious that an ear of cornuponwa stalk,

drawn downward firmly a gainsh the bars will be twisted by the movement of the bars and thereby wrenched from the stalk. 1n the preferred construction also a plurality of rearwardly directed teeth 30 are provided upon each of the bars 9 preferably evenly spaced from the proximate edges of each, the spaces between the teeth 30 is preferably slightly less than the relative movement of the bars so that the stalks positioned between the bars will be alternately engaged by the teeth or notches and advanced along the bars by their reciprocation, thus feeding the stalks along the rolls to correspond with the forward movement of the machine. v

Having thus described my improvement it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to be.understood as limiting myself to' the exact form and construction shown.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, means adapted to engage the stalks, ear engaging means comprising a pair of spaced bars having parallel =adja0ent edges, supporting members for one of said bars, means for reciprocating one of said bars, guiding means carried by the supporting member for said reciprocating bar and coiiperatin with said bar to maintain the inner edge t ereof parallel to the inner edge of theother of said bars during its reciprocatory movement. I

2. In a device of the character described, means adapted to engage the stalks, ear engaging means comprising a pair of substantially parallel spaced bars,'fixed supporting members underlying said bars, means for reciprocating said bars, guiding means carried by said supporting members and slidably engaging said bars to maintain the same in parallelism during reciprocation, and means for reciprocating said bars longitudinally.

:5. In a device of the kind described, means adapted to engage the stalks, a pair of substantially parallel reciprocating bars adapted to cooperate to engage the ears, a pluralitvof teeth arranged upon the proximate edges of said bars, means for preventing a transverse movement of said bars during their operation and means for reciprocating said bars longitudinally. V

4. In a device of the kind described, means adapted to engage the stalks, a pair of subst antially parallel bars adapted to cooperate to engage the cars, a plurality of substantially evenly spaced rearwardly directed teeth upon the proximate edges of said bars, adjustable means for preventing transverse novement of one of said bars during this operation. and means for reciprocatinglone, of said bars longitudinally.

5. In a device of the kind described,tneans adapted to engage the stalks, a pair of bars arranged in substantially a common plane adapted to cotiperate to engage the ears, means for supporting said bars substantially throughout theirvlength and arranged to prevent a transverse movement thereof and means for reciprocating one of said bars longitudinally.

(3. In a device of the character described, a pair of snapping rolls, a pair of longitumeans for alternately reciprocating said bars longitudinally, and means carried by said supporting means and cooperating with said bars to maintain the toothed edges thereof in parallel relation at all times.

8. In a device of the kind described, a pair of snapping rolls, and a pair of movable bars positioned above and proximate to said rolls adapted to cooperate therewith to remove the ears from the stalks, means for supporting said bars substantially throughout their length, means for preventing a transverse movement thereof during their operation and means for reciprocating said bars longitudinally.

J. In a device of the character described, a pair of snapping rolls, ear engaging means adapted to cooperate therewithcomprising a pair of spaced longitudinally movable toothed bars, means for adjusting one of said bars relatively to the other to vary the width of the space therebetwecn, and means for reciprocating one of said bars longitudinally and parallel to the other bar.

10. In a device of the character described, a pair of snapping rolls, ear engaging means adapted to cooperate therewith comprising a pair of spaced longitudinally movable toothed bars, means for adjusting one of said bars relative to the other to vary the width of the space therebetween, and means for alternately reciprocating said bars longitudinally with the toothed edges thereof in parallelism.

ll. In a device of the kind described, a pair of snapping rolls, a pair of longitudinally movable bars arranged substantially parallel to, and above, said rolls, and in substantially a common plane, and adapted to cooperate with said rolls to remove the ears from the stalks, means for supporting said bars substantially throughout their length, and adjustable means for preventing a trans verse movement of said bars during their operation and means for alternately reciprocating said bars longitudinally.

$12. In a device of the kind described, a pair of snapping rolls, a pair of bars arsaid rolls, one bar held against lateral displacement and the other bar adjustably retained against transverse movement, but arranged to be longitudinally reciprocated .and positioned in substantially a common plaiie, adapted to cooperate with said rolls to remove the cars from the stalks, and a plurality of substantially evenly spaced rearwardly directed teeth arranged upon the proximate edges of said bars, and means for reciprocating one of said bars longitudinally.

In testimony whereof, I havehereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SEWARD BAIRD.

\Vitnesses:

Buu'roN U. IIILLS, Quanta-2s I. Conn.

ranged substai'itially parallel to, and above, 

